Berry Picker
by MiniKirby123
Summary: A fateful meeting one Summer... [Oneshot. No pairing - can insert names/couples as you wish. Implied romance.]


_Loha~! Mini here._

_For any of my readers who are still alive, I applaud you for sticking with me. Thank you._

OT:_ This is just a quick one-shot I whipped up to tell you all I wasn't dead - I just have zero inspiration for anything at all. Zilch. Na-da. Zip. There is one thing to keep in mind when reading this. It has no definitive pairing. Insert your own names, pick your favourites, and read on. Enjoy! Preferably review at the end! _

_Signing out!_

_MiniKirby123_

* * *

**Berry picker**

He remembered the first time he saw her, the memories in his mind playing almost constantly, relentlessly, unable to be stopped along with his constant sorrow. They had a stunning visual clarity to them, even though the actual event happened years ago, in a summer many many years gone.

He saw her that day, her white dress stained red in a whimsical pattern by splotches of red berry juice that had soaked into the fabric and could never be washed out, no matter what chemical substance was applied to do so. She was perched almost precariously on top of a tall ladder, the basket slung on her slender arm packed to the brim, if not overflowing with the glimmering bundles of juice and sweetness.

Her shimmering locks rippled in the breeze, having the same healthy shine to them as the berries. Suddenly, she paused, glanced both ways and picked a berry just as her stunning, glittering eyes met his. For the first time, he could see her whole face, and her beauty left him breathless as he could feel his heart begin to hammer, pound, almost burst out of his chest.

Suddenly his throat dried up. He couldn't speak, and all he could do was stand there gaping like a fish. He mentally chastised himself, tempted to slap himself out of his stupidity. The girl, however, just laughed, the sound like a tinkling windchime that was blown to his ears by the soft breeze. Finding himself, he closed his open jaw with an audible snap, smiling at her awkwardly instead as he felt the blush dance across his cheeks. The corners of her eyes crinkled, and she winked at him as she popped the berry in her mouth, returning to her previous duties as she continued to munch on the sweet fruit.

That night, he found his dreams to be filled with the same smiling face, the same amber eyes. Every time he thought of her, he found his breathing becoming just that little bit shallower, his heart beating just that little bit faster. She had burst into his life like a ray of sun on a cold, Winter's day, and he welcomed it with open arms. She had breathed life into his previously dull world, and he could barely remember what it was like before her met her even though their interaction had been so fleeting.

Their silent meetings continued for the rest of that season. He went every day at the same time to see her, to meet her, see if she would talk or even wave at him but instead she just faithfully picked the berries she was assigned to, only occasionally sending a smile his way. He always told himself that it was enough, that he should be happy with what he got, but his heart always yearned for more. Maybe a friendship, or even one step further.

One rainy day, the last day of Summer, he made it through the bushes in a hurry. He had stupidly forgotten to bring an umbrella, thinking that he had enough time to get there and back. Unsurprisingly, he had lost track of time and totally forgotten when he should've left, gone home or even eaten some lunch, which his now grumbling stomach was paying for. Was he being creepy? He hoped not.

Reaching their usual meeting place, he glanced hopelessly there, soaked to the skin and looking quite a bit like a stray kitten. Amazingly, she was, in fact, standing there like she always was, umbrella in one hand and berries in the other. Turning when she heard the sound of sloshing, she was shocked to find the person she had grown to know standing there, dripping from head to foot as droplets tried to helplessly cling to his hair.

Gasping, her mouth formed an O and she hurriedly jumped down the ladder rungs, almost slipping in the process before dashing over to him. Holding the umbrella out, she placed it over his head and smiled at him. He was still snapping himself out of the trance he had fallen into, glancing up at the umbrella before returning the smile with a blush on his face.

They walked over to shelter in silence, simply enjoying each other's company. There were no words that needed to be shared, and the occasional glance or smile was all that was necessary in their blissful peace. He felt that they had reached the destination all too soon, their walk seeming to fast-forward in his mind, his heart which was bursting with happiness hammering in his chest. He watched on as with skilful hands she tipped her berry-filled basket upside down, emptying the contents into a box before placing it onto the conveyor belt which would carry it away for sorting. They watched it disappear behind leather flaps before he smiled at her and she smiled at him for one last time, their final parting still without a word spoken.

That was the last he would ever see of the girl with the berry-juice-stained dress. He had nothing left, no pictures, no mementos, not as much as a name since he had not found the courage at the time to ask for one. He didn't think he needed to, the brashness of his youth making him believe that every Summer, every day no matter the season she would be there. That their happy, innocent time would last forever.

But that would not be the case; such was fate's cruel ways. Their splitting was now filled with sadness, regret, hopelessness as well as happiness, love, and joy. The boy didn't know what to think. Every time he thought of that beautiful girl and an image sprang to his mind, he would smile as his heart clenched in pain and the solitary tear would leak out of his eyes, both grieving his loss of the girl he had loved but also happy that he had the privilege of meeting her, of loving, of knowing.

Their story had an ending just as bittersweet as those berries picked that Summer.


End file.
